Neurotechnology to Restore Function After Spinal Cord Injury

In 2005 he suffered a cervical spinal cord injury, spurring his interest in spinal cord research. Peter joined the Mayo Neural Engineering Laboratories to assist in the effort to reach a cure for people like him who suffer from chronic paralysis.

Grahn’s thesis research includes the use of a wirelessly controlled electrical stimulator in a rodent model of paralysis that had been paralyzed for 7 days.

Researchers stimulated within the spinal cord using technique called intraspinal microstimulation and they wirelessly controlled that stimulation to restore hind limb responses.

Grahn ultimately hopes to develop technologies to restore function through intraspinal and epidural stimulation and translate those technologies to clinical use.